Pagine

2014-11-17

Ikat/Chiné, decorating textiles is the new exhibition of Museo Studio del Tessuto, opening on 20 November 2014 at 6.30 pm, curated by Margherita Rosina and Francina Chiara. Ikat and Chiné are perhaps two enigmatic words for a non- specialist audience. They identify beautiful designs with blurred contours. This particular effect originates from an ancient dyeing technique used in many different countries. The Museo Studio del Tessuto presents an exhibition to introduce the ikat, a dyeing technique of ancient Eastern tradition, and the chiné, its modern European interpretation. In the ikat technique, the blurred-contour patterns are obtained through the reserve dyeing of warp yarns and their subsequent weaving. Reserve dyeing allows the colour to penetrate only in some areas of the yarns, while others are protected by a waterproof binder. The yarns are dyed according to the given pattern and these operations are repeated depending on the number of colours of the pattern. In the eighteenth century, France took up the ikat technique and called it chiné. Starting from nineteen century - in order to reduce production time and costs without sacrificing the charm of the blurred effect – the direct printing of warp yarns substituted the reserve dyeing. From the MuST collection are on display: spectacular male’s smocks with flashy printed cotton linings, examples of the authentic Afghan ikats of the late XIX century; Lyonese taffetas of the XVIII century, where the same technique – called in France chiné à la branche – creates floral patterns popular at the court of Marie Antoinette; textile swatches, alongside dresses from private collectors, that represent the French and Italian productions of the late XIX and XX century. A process of infinite steadfastness at its origin, reinterpreted by the industries in Europe since the XIX century, the chiné is now a pride of some Como manufacturers who have lent warp- printed fabrics, made in recent decades to meet the needs of international haute couture houses. MuST - Fondazione Antonio Ratti, Villa Sucota, via per Cernobbio 19 Como (Italy)Opening 20 november 2014, 6.30 p.m. From 21 novembre 2014 to 21 giugno 2015 info: www.fondazioneratti.org